Fruit-packing device.



PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

F. K. BARTHOLOMEW.

FRUIT PACKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5. 1905.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FRUIT-PACKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed June 5,1905. Serial No. 263,780.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FLEURY K. lBAR'rI-IoLo- MEW, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Campbell, in the county of Santa Clara and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-PackagingDevices, of which the following is a specification My invention relatesto a device for packaging prunes and other dried fruits.

It consists in the combination of parts and in details of construction,which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my device. Fig. 2shows the box and false side and bottom. Fig. 3 shows the open frame andflange inverted.

It is the object of my invention to compress prunes and like fruits intopackages of certain dimensions and weights within a preliminary formingdevice with enveloping papers and to provide means by which the formedand compressed packages may be removed from the compressing apparatusand transferred to a permanent box or case in which it is to beexhibited and sold.

The device consists of a box A having two ends, one side, and thebottom, as at A. The other side is left open. 2 is a false bottomslidable into the open side of the box A and resting upon the bottom A.This false bottom has an upturned side, as at 3, which when the partsare in place completes the inclosure of the main box, this side being ofthe same height as the sides of the box A. The paper or other equivalentlining 4 is then laid into the box as thus completed` 5 is an open framehaving sides and ends only, and around this frame is a fiange 6,extending downwardly and adapted to Vfit over the periphery of the b'oxA and the upturned side 3, thus holding these parts temporarily inposition. The edges of the paper orl other envelop lying in the box areturned outwardly, so that the frame and flange fit over theoutwardly-turned portions of the envelop and said quantity of fruit tobe pressed and determined by weight is placed in the box and thesuperposed frame.

The boxes and frames are made to suit any desired quantity to be putinto the packageas one, two, five, or ten pounds, as the case may be. Afollower is then placed upon the fruit and the box is placed beneath apress of any suitable or desired construction. A simple form of press isindicated, as 'at 8, but it will be manifest that any suitable form ofpress may be employed. The plunger being brought down upon the fruitwill compress it into the container' below the frame, the fruit restingupon the false bottom 2 and being shaped by the three sides of the box Aand the movable side 3. This being accomplished the plunger is raised,the follower and open frame 5 are removed, and the enveloping paper 4may be folded over the package in the usual manner. The package is thenremoved by withdraning the false bottom and supplemental side, thobottom either projecting beyond the side to form a handle or a suitablehandle may be applied to facilitate removal. The packages may thus betransferred and placed in a pasteboard or other box in which it is to bepermanently inclosed.

Such boxes may be made to contain a number of the packages, the internaldimensions of the exterior box being such that a number of the packagesmay be placed in the box until the latter is filled. These packagesbeing each completed and inolosed in their envelops may be removed forsale or use without disturbing their form or the other packages in thebox.

It will be understood that under some conditions the false side 3 may beemployed without the false bottom, since the envelop will suflicientlysecure the compressed package to allow it to be removed. It will also beunderstood that this false side may be held in position by any meansequivalent to that herein described; but I have found the present deviceto be a very convenient one for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A device for packaging dried fruits, said device comprising a boxhaving a permanent bottom, ends, and one side, an independent removableside fitting the open side of the main box, a false bottom to which theside is fixed, an open bottom frame fitting upon the top of the mainbox, and a surrounding fiange projecting downwardly from said frameinclosing the top of the main box and the false side thereby retainingthe false bottom in position during compression.

2. In a device for packaging dried fruit, a main box or former having afixed bottom, ends, and one side, a false side completing the IOO IIO

box, a false bottom to which said side is iixed slidable upon the bottomof the main box7 a frame approximately fitting the top of the main box,and a downwardly extending flange carried by said frame and overhangingthe side and ends of the box or former and also the false side saidflange adapted to lock the false side in position with relation to themain box.

3. In a device for packaging dried fruit, a main box or former havingone open side, a false bottom and side itting the main box andcompleting its outline, a frame substantially fitting the top ofthe mainbox having a downwardly extending flange fitting over 15 and temporarilylocking the supplemental side and bottom in place, and means by whichthe fruit with which the structure is filled is compressed into the mainbox.

f In testimony whereof I have hereunto set zo my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- IleSSeS.

FLEURY K. BARTHOLOMEW. Witnesses:

HENRY P. TRIcoU, S. H. NoURsE.

